Baha'u'llah (1817-1892), the Inaugurator of the most recent of the independent world religions, the Baha'i Faith, has been described by the Guardian of that Faith as 'One Whom posterity will acclaim, and Whom innumerable followers already recognize, . . . as the Establisher of the Most Great Peace . . . and the Inspirer and Founder of a world civilization'. Few there are in the West who have known even one person who saw Him or experienced the majesty and power, the compassion, humility and humour which characterized His earthly life. Baha'is of the East are more fortunate, many having known those, often their relatives, who were in His presence as companions or pilgrims. Yet, as the editor of this book remarks, 'only a few recorded their observations for posterity'. It was in 1975 that 'the thought of collecting personal accounts' occurred to the Hand of the Cause 'Ali-Akbar Furutan. Through correspondence and the examination of numerous memoirs, published and in manuscript, he selected the stories in this enthralling collection. 'The day is approaching when God will have raised up a people who will call to remembrance Our days, ' wrote Baha'u'llah. The 144 stories in these pages make such remembrance both effortless and delightful. They come to mind whether one is far away or visiting the scenes in which they occurred. They describe Baha'u'llah in Iran, Baghdad, Constantinople, Adrianople, 'Akka and Bahji, and linger in memory to uplift and gladden both heart and mind.

An intimate glimpse into the life of Hand of the Cause Abu'l-Qasim Faizi, whose wisdom, candour, service, vision, humour and charisma caused Baha'is everywhere to love him. Hand of the Cause Abu l-Qasim Faizi was much loved by Baha'is around the world for his wisdom, candour and humour, for the quiet, unobtrusive ways in which he helped the needy, and for the courage and fortitude he instilled in believers, particularly in pioneers living in arduous conditions. His service to the Cause of Baha'u'llah, his life as a pioneer in a challenging part of the world, his commitment to assisting young people attain their potential, his inimitable charisma, his extraordinary capacity to love his fellow man, his unwavering, clear and totally focused aim in life are recalled in this personal account of his life, written by his daughter. Through his letters, stories, diaries and accounts, we receive an intimate glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of this spiritual giant as he served first Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, and then the Universal House of Justice.

Here is the translation of Khátirát-i-Nuh-Sáliy-i-'Akká, the memoirs of Dr Youness Afroukhteh who served 'Abdu'l-Bahá as His trusted secretary and interpreter from 1900-1909. These were difficult years when the Master was imprisoned in the city of 'Akká, His every move subject to misrepresentation by the Arch-breaker of the Covenant and his associates, and even His life in danger. At the same time the period saw the victories of the construction of the Shrine of the Báb and the House of Worship in 'Ishqábád, and the rise of the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh in the West. This important record, published in 1952 on the instructions of Shoghi Effendi, has been described as 'pre-eminent among those works dealing with the history of Covenant-breaking'. At the same time it chronicles the daily life in 'Akká of 'Abdu'l-Bahá and of the little band of devoted believers whose chief joy in life was to be of service to Him; it also describes the pilgrimages to 'Akká of many eminent early Western Bahá'ís including Thomas Breakwell, Hippolyte Dreyfus, Lua Getsinger and Laura Barney, the compiler of Some Answered Questions. Over those nine years Jináb-i-Khán (the title by which Dr Youness Afroukhteh was honoured by 'Abdu'l-Bahá) served the Master in 'Akká as secretary, translator, envoy and physician. His account of some of the most significant events of the period, his graphic and stirring pen-portraits of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and the description of his own emotions - all expressed in a lively and at time mischievous language of humour and wit - make this volume uniquely memorable.

Adapted from the Persian by Bahiyyih Nakhjavani based on translations by Violette and Ali Nakhjavani, these poems testify to the courage and the despair, the misery and the hopes of thousands of Iranians struggling to survive conditions of extreme oppression.